Thirdweb smart accounts implementation in Guru Network

Smart accounts, as implemented by thirdweb, don't require private keys or seed phrases because they operate fundamentally differently from traditional wallets. Smart accounts are smart contract wallets that follow the ERC-4337 specification, meaning they're managed by contract accounts instead of Externally Owned Accounts (EOAs).

How Smart Accounts Work Without Private Keys

Smart accounts rely on code instead of private keys to secure and recover wallet information. Rather than being secured by a private key, a smart account is "unlocked" by a 'key' - which can be a personal account like a MetaMask wallet or an in-App wallet that serves as a way to 'sign in' to the smart account.

This approach offers several key advantages:

• Improved Security: Without private keys to manage, there's reduced risk of key compromise
• Recovery Options: Users can recover their wallet without seed phrases/passwords through social or multi-sig recovery methods
• Emergency Access: Users can nominate trusted persons to recover their wallet in case of emergency

Technical Implementation

When integrating thirdweb's smart accounts:

1. The smart account is a smart contract that holds all assets
2. A personal wallet/key serves as the default admin or "key" to the account
3. This key can be any wallet and is used to initialize the account
4. The account itself is an ERC-4337 compatible smart contract

Smart accounts are non-custodial - they use smart contracts to operate and manage assets via an admin wallet that signs on behalf of the smart account.

Couple of links to learn more:
https://portal.thirdweb.com/glossary/smart-wallet
https://portal.thirdweb.com/connect/account-abstraction/how-it-works